HARRIS MILLER MILLER & HANSON INC. Copyright HMMH, 2006 

CREATE RAILROAD NOISE MODEL USER GUIDE 

INTRODUCTION 

The CREATE railroad noise model allows input of up to eight different types of noise sources, 

the activity of these noise sources and noise-sensitive receptor data to calculate hourly-equivalent 

(Leq) or day-night (Ldn) noise levels. The model is based on the Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA) General Transit Noise Assessment spreadsheet including moving and stationary railroad 

and highway noise sources. 

MODEL INPUT 

The model allows input of the following noise sources, train activity and receptor data: 

Moving Noise Sources 

• Electric and diesel commuter locomotives 

• Commuter passenger cars 

• Light-rail transit (LRT) powered cars 

• Automated-guideway transit (AGT) cars (steel-wheeled and rubber-tired) 

• Monorail 

• Magnetic-levitation (Maglev) trains 

• Freight locomotives 

• Freight cars (typical and empty hopper) 

• Automobiles 

• Buses (city and commuter) 

• Commuter buses 

Stationary Noise Sources 

• Track crossovers (switches, turnouts, crossing diamonds) 

• Rail yards or shops 

• Layover tracks 

• Bus storage yards 

• Bus operating facilities 

• Bus transit centers 

• Parking garages 

• Park and ride lots 

Track Noise Sources 

• Percentage of wheel flats for rail cars 

• Jointed track 

• Embedded track 

• Aerial structure 
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Train Activity Data 

• Number of trains per hour for: 

o Light-rail, commuter, AGT, monorail, Maglev, freight trains 

o Rail yards or shops and layover tracks 

o Track crossovers 

• Number of vehicles per hour for: 

o Automobiles, city and commuter buses 

o Parking garages (automobiles) and park and ride lots (automobiles and buses) 

o Bus storage yards and bus transit center 

o Bus operating facilities (buses present and serviced) 

o Bus operating facility (buses serviced) 

• Number of locomotives per train for: 

o Commuter trains (electric and diesel) 

o Freight trains 

• Number of cars per train for: 

o Commuter, LRT, AGT, monorail and Maglev trains 

o Freight trains (length of cars) 

• Duration of trains for: 

o Track crossovers 

• Speed of vehicles for: 

o Trains and automobiles 

Noise-Sensitive Receptor Data 

• Land use type (FTA Category 1,2,3) 

• Distance to noise sources 

• Presence of noise barrier 

• Intervening building rows 

NOISE MODEL PROCESS 

To calculate noise levels for sensitive receptors, perform the steps outlined in the flow diagram 

in Figure 1. Once the noise source number (one thru 23) is input, different metrics will appear in 

rows 26 to 38 that require input. Once all these variables are input, the noise model will 

automatically calculate the noise levels from each individual noise source (up to eight) as well as 

the cumulative noise levels from all noise sources together. 

Figure 2 shows an example of typical input data into the CREATE railroad noise model. 
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Input Noise-Sensitive Receptor Data

Receptor/case name

FTA land use category (1,2 or 3)

Distance to noise sources

Intervening building rows

Presence of noise barriers

Input Noise Sources (up to eight)

Use source reference list

Input Noise Source Activity

Vehicles per hour

Cars / locomotives per train

Duration of trains

Vehicle speeds

Input Noise Source Details

Percentage of wheel flats

Jointed track

Embedded track

Aerial structure

Output Noise Level

Hourly-equivalent noise level (Leq)

Day-night noise level (Ldn)

Figure 1. Flow diagram of noise modeling process 

Parameter

Source Num. Commuter Electric Locomotive 1

Distance (source to receiver) distance (ft) 50

Daytime Hours speed (mph) 25

(7 AM - 10 PM) trains/hour 3

locos/train 2

Nighttime Hours speed (mph) 25

(10 PM - 7 AM) trains/hour 1

locos/train 2

Wheel Flats?

Jointed Track? Y/N N

Embedded Track? Y/N N

Aerial Structure? Y/N N

Barrier Present? Y/N N

Intervening Rows of of Buildings number of rows 0

Source 1

Figure 2. Example of model input data 
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NOISE SOURCE AND RECEPTOR DETAILS 

Summary of Noise Source Reference SELs 

Reference SELs at 50 feet and speed coefficients are shown for all moving noise sources in 

Table 1. These reference SELs are per vehicle except for freight cars and hopper cars, which are 

based on 2000-feet of cars. 

Table 2 shows the reference SELs at 50 feet and coefficients for all stationary noise sources. All 

of the stationary noise source coefficients are 10; however, the references are different (i.e. 

duration of pass-bys, trains per locomotive, buses per hour, etc.) 

Table 1. Moving Noise Source Reference SELs and Speed Coefficients 

Moving Noise Sources SEL at 50 feet Speed Coefficient Reference Speed (mph)

Commuter Electric Locomotive 90 10.0 50

Commuter Diesel Locomotive 92 -10.0 50

Commuter Rail Car 82 20.0 50

RRT/LRT 82 20.0 50

AGT, Steel Wheel 80 20.0 50

AGT, Rubber Tire 78 20.0 50

Monorail 82 20.0 50

Maglev 72 20.0 50

Freight Locomotive 97 10.0 40

Freight Cars* 100 20.0 40

Hopper Cars (empty)* 104 20.0 40

Hopper Cars (full)* 100 20.0 40

Automobile 73 28.1 50

City Bus 84 23.9 50

Commuter Bus 88 14.6 50

* Freight and Hopper Cars+A51 SEL is based on 2000 feet of cars

Table 2. Stationary Noise Source Reference SELs and Coefficients 

Stationary Noise Sources SEL at 50 feet Reference Coefficient Reference Value Reference Metric

Track Crossover 100 10 3600 (seconds) duration of pass-bys

Rail Yard or Shop 118 10 20 (trains per hour)

Layover Tracks 109 10 1 (trains during hour)

Bus Storage Yard 111 10 100 (buses per hour)

Bus Oerations Facility 114 10 200 (buses per hour)

Bus Transit Center 101 10 / 10 20 / 60 (buses per hour) / (buses services per hour)

Parking Garage 92 10 1000 (autos per hour)

Park & Ride Lot 101 10 / 10 2000 / 24 (autos per hour) / (buses per hour)

Moving Noise Sources 

Moving noise sources (listed in the Model Input section) are modeled to propagate noise as a line 

source over soft ground (grass, soft dirt). This results in a sound propagation rate of 4.5 decibels 

per distance doubling. 

Moving noise sources also have a “speed coefficient” which represents the variability of the 

sound exposure level (SEL) of a vehicle pass-by as function of vehicle speed. The speed 

coefficients of each vehicle are a function of the potential increase or decrease in maximum 

noise level due to factors such as wheel/rail interaction, tire/pavement interaction or engine speed 

and the duration of the pass-by (a higher speed pass-by can actually result in a lower SEL due to 
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the shorter duration of the event). For the moving noise sources in the CREATE model, speed 

coefficients range from –10 to 28.1. 

Increasing the number of vehicles for moving sources relates to SEL on a 10 Log-basis. This 

results in a three-decibel increase in SEL for each doubling of the number of vehicles. For 

freight trains, the same relationship exists but is based on the length of cars rather than the 

specific number of cars. 

Stationary Noise Sources 

Stationary noise sources (listed in the Model Input section) are modeled to propagate noise as a 

point source over soft ground (grass, soft dirt). This results in a sound propagation rate of 7.5 

decibels per distance doubling. 

The SELs from noise sources such as rail yards, bus storage yards and parking lots, vary based 

on the number of vehicles present on a 10-Log basis. Similar to moving sources, a doubling in 

the number of vehicles results in an SEL increase of three decibels. 

For the inclusion of idling locomotive noise sources, use layover tracks as a stationary source. 

This noise source will require the input of the number of trains during an hour. If one 

locomotive were to idle for 15 minutes, this is equivalent to 0.25 trains during an hour. 

Track Noise Sources 

For the inclusion of LRT, commuter or freight cars, the average percentage of wheel flats present 

should be input. The adjustment for wheel flats on cars could be as high as an additional five 

decibels; however, typically the actual percentage of cars with wheel flats is relatively low and 

noise levels typically increase by less than one decibel. 

Jointed track produces an additional noise source at the wheel/rail interface as compared to 

continuous-welded rail (CWR). The presence of jointed track, therefore, will increase sound 

levels of commuter locomotives, commuter cars, LRT cars, freight locomotives and freight cars 

by five decibels. 

For the operation of trains on embedded track, noise levels will be three decibels higher than on 

ballast and tie. This increase is due to the hard ground between the noise source and receptor 

allowing more efficient sound propagation. 

Tracks that are elevated on an aerial structure will typically produce noise levels that are four 

decibels higher than tracks at grade. This increase in noise level is due to the radiation of the 

aerial structure as well as more efficient sound propagation from a source that is at a higher 

elevation. 

The presence of a track crossover such as a switch, turnout or crossing diamond acts as a 

stationary noise source whenever the train travels over it. For this noise source, the duration and 

the number of trains per hour are required to determine the SEL from this source. 
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Noise-Sensitive Receptor Data 

The FTA land use category must be input into the model. Land use category 1 and 3 correspond 

to locations where noise-sensitive receptors are present only during daytime hours and do not 

typically sleep (e.g. schools, churches and medical offices). Land use category 2 corresponds to 

locations where noise-sensitive receptors often sleep (e.g. hotel, motels, residences and 

hospitals). The hourly-equivalent (Leq) noise level for the loudest-hour of train-related activity 

during hours of noise-sensitivity is used to assess potential impact at a category 1 or 3 receptor 

and the day-night (Ldn) noise level is used to assess potential impact at a category 2 receptor. 

The Ldn noise level includes a 10-decibel penalty for noise events that occur between 10pm and 

7am; therefore, the input of both daytime and nighttime events is required for category 2 

receptors 

The presence of a noise barrier can be included in modeling noise levels. However, in a general 

assessment no details of the height or location of the noise barrier are input. It is assumed that 

the noise barrier would be effective in lowering noise levels a minimum of five decibels. 

The model allows input of the number of intervening rows for receptors that are not adjacent to 

the noise source. For the first intervening building row, noise levels are modeled to decrease 

4.5-decibels. For each additional intervening row (between two and five) an additional 1.5-

decibel reduction is taken into account up to a maximum reduction of 10 decibels. 

SPREADSHEET INFORMATION 

To minimize the potential for error in modifying the CREATE railroad noise model, the 

spreadsheet has been password protected. The password protection disallows the deletion or 

modification to cells other than input or output cells (grey). Should modification of the 

spreadsheet be required for some reason, the spreadsheet can be unlocked with the password: 

“create”.